State of the Colony

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The Congress resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House, upon the estimate of the expense necessary for the defence of this Colony at this time, and also upon the ways and means to provide a Fund to defray the expenses of the same; and, after deliberating thereon, Mr˙ President resumed the chair, and Mr˙ Fisher, Chairman of the Commitee, reported, that the Committee had gone through the several matters to them referred, and had come to the Resolutions following:

1. That four thousand stand of Arms be purchased for the use of this Colony.

And on the question being put, whether the Congress doth agree to the same, it passed for three thousand stand of Arms, only, to be purchased.

2. That ten tons of Gunpowder be purchased for the use of this Colony. To which the Congress agreed.

3. That twenty tons of Lead be purchased for the use of this Colony. To which the Congress agreed.

4. That two thousand Cartouch-Boxes be purchased for the use of this Colony. Which, on the question, was reduced to one thousand only.

5. That two Medicine Chests be purchased for the use of this Colony. To which the Congress agreed.

6. That eight hundred Tents, with the necessary Furniture, Canteens, and Knapsacks, be purchased for the use of this Colony. And, on the question, it passed for four hundred Tents, with the necessary furniture, &c˙, to be purchased.

7. That one thousand Hunting-Shirts be purchased for the use of this Colony. Which, on the question, passed in the negative.

8. That the sum of one thousand four hundred Pounds be appropriated as Subsistence Money, at one Shilling per man, per clay, for the Troops of this Colony when called into actual service, and until they arrive at the place of destination. To which the Congress agreed.

9. That the sum of eight thousand five hundred and eighty-five Pounds be appropriated as a fund for the payment of the Troops of this Colony for one month, when called into actual service.

And on the question, whether this sum, or the sum of four thousand Pounds only, be appropriated, it passed unanimously for four thousand Pounds only.

10. That four thousand Blankets be purchased for the use of this Colony. Which, on the question, was reduced to two thousand only.

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11. That the sum of three hundred Pounds be laid out in Axes, Spades, and Intrenching Tools, for the use of this Colony. To which the Congress agreed.

12. That the sum of five hundred Pounds be laid out in procuring a train of Artillery for the use of this Colony. To which the Congress agreed.

13. That the sum of five hundred Pounds be appropriated, to encourage the erecting of Saltpetre Works in this Colony. And on the question being put, whether this sum or the sum of one thousand Pounds be appropriated to this use, it passed for one thousand Pounds.

On motion made, Resolved, That the sum of one thousand Pounds, voted by this Congress to encourage the erecting of Saltpetre Works in this Colony, be appropriated to the payment of a bounty of one Shilling per Pound, over and above the market price, for any quantity, not exceeding twenty thousand pounds weight, of good merchantable Saltpetre, which shall be made and manufactured in this Colony, on or before the first day of January, 1777: Provided, that the Continental Congress shall not offer the like premium for Saltpetre manufactured in any of the United Colonies.

On motion made, Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Congress, that the sum of Thirty Thousand Pounds, Proclamation Money, be immediately emitted in Bills of Credit, for the use of this Colony.

Ordered, That Mr˙ Fisher, Mr˙ Hart, Mr˙ Mehelm, Mr˙ Elmer, and Mr˙ Dunham, be a Committee to prepare the draught of an Ordinance for emitting the aforesaid sum of Thirty Thousand Pounds, in Bills of Credit, and to make a provision to sink the same; and also to appoint Commissioners to purchase and procure the several articles enumerated in the foregoing Resolutions, and that they report the same to this Congress.

The Congress adjourned until two o' clock, P˙M˙, to-morrow.